Philly Fast Food Workers Rally for Higher Wages
Except for the Dunkin Donuts in The Gallery — the greatest Dunkin Donuts in all of Philadelphia — fast food service is notoriously awful. But the more I think about it, the more I think that should be the case. It’s not that fast food has to be an especially demeaning or terrible job, though I’m sure it can be. But making minimum wage for years and dealing with obnoxious fast food customers? I don’t know.
Yesterday, fast food workers from the area joined others around the country in rallying for higher wages. Minimum wage in Pennsylvania is currently $7.25 an hour. KYW 1060’s Cherri Gregg reported from a rally in North Philly:
Javier Mulet says he’s not afraid to speak out. The four-year Dunkin’ Donuts veteran makes $7.45 an hour and says he stood up against management when they demanded that employees give up their tips after their store was robbed.
“Management decided workers had to pay it out of their tip wages,” he says, “I was threatened with my job, so I told them I would pay it, but I never did.”
Well, at least Javier Mulet pulled a fast one on his employer. (I also hope it’s a fake name.) State Democrats currently want to follow President Obama’s suggestion and raise the minimum to $10.10 an hour. Those protesting yesterday want a $15 an hour minimum for fast food employees.
[KYW 1060]
